Tree Trimmer Caught Clipping Customers, Pleads No Contest

In this 2004-2005 story, an unlicensed Northern California landscaper pleaded guilty to embezzling 3.1 million from five mostly elderly customers, four of whom took out multiple mortgages on their homes to invest money with him and were ultimately left facing foreclosure.

According to authorities, they suspected this scam artist of using his landscaping business as a front to get acquainted with his victims, establish trust with them, and then seek out their money to invest in a side business he had, talking at least four of them into borrrowing money against their home equity and "invest" it with him in exchange for a promise that he would keep up the payments on the loans.

Reportedly, when the arrest was initially made, police alleged that there were at least ten victims who were scammed, but the media reports indicated that some of them were ashamed and embarrassed to talk about it with investigators.

To read the media reports on this story, see:

Businessman faces prison for embezzling $3.1M from elderly - Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal (5-27-05)

Sheriff's deputies arrest Saratoga man, charge him with elder fraud - Saratoga News (11-3-04)

Landscaper is accused of clipping seniors - San Francisco Chronicle at sfgate.com (10-29-04)

Go here , go here , and go here for other posts on elder financial abuse. zeta elder financial abuse